Category Archives: Cricket

England has called on the service of two uncapped players, naming them in their 12-man squad in their first Test match against Sri Lanka to be held in Headingley next week.

James Vince and Jake Ball, both 25 years old are set to feature in the Investec Test from 19 to 23 May.

James Vince has five limited-overs caps and was part of the England squad that reached the final of the ICC World Twenty20 in India last month. He comes into the team in place of the retired James Taylor, taking number five ahead of Ian Bell and Gary Ballance, who were dropped last year.

“It’s something I’ve been aiming for since I was a little kid really,” said Vince. “Definitely when I was growing up, playing for England in a Test was still the number one. I’ve had the experience of the T20s in Dubai against Pakistan, when it was a good feeling being able to contribute to the team.”

Along with the Hampshire batsman James Vince, Ball’s rise has been sharp. The 25-year-old fast bowler impressed with England Lions over the winter and has started the season in rich form with 19 wickets in his side’s first four County Championship matches.

His breakthrough performance came at Trent Bridge against Yorkshire, earning four wickets in the champions’ first innings including Test batsmen Adam Lyth, Joe Root and Gary Ballance.

Stuart Broad, world number one bowler in Test Cricket and Ball’s county colleague, was all praise for his teammate’s performance and growth.

“Jake is a player I’ve seen a lot of and he’s developed so quickly,” said Broad. “He is similar to me in height and what he tries to do with the ball. He gets good pace, moves the ball both away and into the right-hander, and away from the left-handers. The selectors have done well to pick a guy in form.”

Meanwhile, Alex Hale would stay on to play as England captain Alastair Cook’s opening partner, just as Nick Compton keeps his place as England’s number three. In addition, pace bowler Steven Finn has been confirmed fit and will be likely to feature.

Carlos Brathwaite screams in delight after blasting four consecutive sixes to power the West Indies to their second World Twenty20 glory, chasing down England’s 155 in a thrilling final.

West Indies wobbled early after English part-time spinner Joe Root dismissed Johnson Charles and the dangerous Chris Gayle in his the first three balls to peg them back.

Then, coming in at number eight, Brathwaite joins Marlon Samuels at the crease in the 16th over with the West Indies on 107-6 and needing 49 from 27 balls. The tall bowler had only batted twice in the competition prior to the final, scoring 34 off 10 not out against South Africa and 13 against Afghanistan in the group stages.

West Indies were at 11-3, and needed 19 runs to win, which they did it in style. Joe Root’s 54 for England could not out keep them from joining their women as World T20 champions, as Brathwaite’s took his match-winning blitz off Ben Stokes.

“I can’t really express how much of a top knock (by Samuels) that was. We couldn’t turn back, it was a question of when not if,” said Brathwaite.

In their winning process, the West Indies also became the first two-time winners of the men’s World Twenty20.

Despite the devastating loss, England can take a lot of encouragement from their performance in this tournament, which has showcased an attacking philosophy and resilience that was completely lacking during their group-stage exit of last year’s 50-over World Cup.

West Indies will be meeting England in the grand final of the World Twenty20 after defeating tournament hosts India by seven wickets in the semi-final.

But India appeared to be the team that has everything under control, with captain Virat Kohli taking an unbeaten 89 to 192-2 as Chris Gayle fell for five.

Then West Indies’ unlikely hero – Lendl Simmons stepped up.

Barely making it into West Indies’ 15-man squad, Simmons had only been called in as a replacement for an injured Andre Fletcher . And here, he would prove that he is more than worth it by taking a lead role in West Indies’ charge, chasing 193 with 82 from 51 balls.

Even then, Simmons will need to thank his lucky stars as he took advantage of three reprieves through three misteps. On 18, he scythed Ravi Ashwin to short third man, but a replay showed Ashwin’s front foot ahead of the crease. Having completed his 50 from 35 balls, Simmons then directed a full toss from Hardik Pandya to Ashwin at cover. Again, it was a no-ball.

The third, in the 18th over, was the gut punch. Ravi Jadeja and Virat Kohli thought they had combined for a brilliant boundary catch, but the third umpire spotted that Jadeja had released the ball from the original catch only after his foot had touched the boundary sponge.

“Every cricketer has his day,” said Simmons, tired, aching but satisfied. “And today was my day.”

Andre Russell, known for his powerful hitting, contributed 43 off 20 deliveries.

“We knew it was a 200 wicket and halfway in the dressing room I kept telling the boys that India are 10 runs short,” said West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, delighted after his team proved they can win without Gayle firing on all cylinders.

“We said this before the tournament that Chris is under pressure, he is our best Twenty20 player but we have 15 match-winners in this side.”

India made it into the World Twenty20 semi-finals and edges Australia out by six wickets after Virat Kohli made a brilliant 82 in their do-or-die showdown in Mohali on Sunday.

Australia would bow out of the tournament despite their hopes after becoming the top-ranked Test side. To add insult to injury, they were the ones who managed to take the initiative, racing to 55 from only 22 deliveries but India dragged them back by force to 160-6.

Early on, opener Aaron Finch shared 54 runs for the opening wicket with Usman Khawaja to give Australia a flying start after Steven Smith won the toss and elected to bat.

In fact, India looked down and out as they arrived at 94-4.

But Kohli proved that he was a cut above and a maestro of the run chase – averaging 91.80 in the second innings of T20 internationals. Here, he essentially carried the whole team by covering for openers Shikhar Dhawan (13) and Rohit Sharma (12) who cooled their heels in the dressing room with 37 runs on the board.

The 27-year-old planned meticulously to make his knocks legendary, working alongside skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (18 not out) and put on 67 runs to take the team to the finish line.

Dhoni himself effected three dismissals, and hit the winning four with five balls to spare to trigger wild celebrations from the home crowd.

Shane Watson, who announced his own international retirement before the game had accounted for Dhawan and Sharma. Kohli’s brilliance would end the Aussie’s international career with apparent disappointment.

As India prepares to face the West Indies in the semi-finals, so would England prepare for their own semi-final meet against New Zealand in New Delhi.